Stock Market Today: All You Need To Know Before Going Into Trade On March 21

Asian equities traded cautiously early Friday, with markets uncertain about US President Donald Trump's next move in the trade war. Japan's stock market started the day on a positive note, but South Korea's shares took a hit, and Hong Kong's equity index futures were also down.

The Nikkei rose 0.17%, while Kospi fell 0.52%. Hang Seng futures were down 0.5%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.1%.

In the US, futures saw a slight uptick after the S&P 500 closed marginally lower on Thursday. Contracts for S&P 500 were up 0.1%, while those for Dow Jones and Nasdaq were higher by 0.06% and 0.17%.

The Indian equities ended at their highest level in over a month on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve signalled more interest rate cuts later this year, seeing brief increase in inflation due to Trump's tariff policies.

The NSE Nifty 50 closed 283.05 points or 1.24% higher at 23,190.65, while BSE Sensex ended 899.01 points or 1.19% up at 76,348.06.

Foreign portfolio investors turned net buyers of Indian equities after a day as they mopped stocks worth Rs 3,239.1 crore. Domestic institutional investors turned net sellers after 29 straight sessions of buying, as they net offloaded equities worth Rs 3,136 crore, according to provisional data from the National Stock Exchange.

• Exclusion of Futures and Options contracts: Apollo Tyres, Deepak Nitrite, Escorts Kubota, MRF, the Ramco Cements.

• Manappuram Finance: US-based Bain Capital is set to take over a invest controlling stake in Manappuram Finance Ltd. as it will buy an 18% stake in Manappuram Finance Ltd. worth Rs 4,385 crore through a preferential allotment of shares.

• IndusInd Bank: The board has engaged an independent professional firm to thoroughly investigate discrepancies in its derivative portfolio

• JSW Energy: The company's finance committee approved the allotment of 80,000 non-convertible debentures worth Rs 800 crore in two tranches on a private-placement basis.

• Indian Bank: The board of directors approved a proposal to raise an additional long-term infrastructure bond up to Rs 5,000 crore in one or more tranches during the current or next financial year.

• Bajaj Finance: The company has appointed Rajeev Jain as the vice chairperson and Anup Kumar Saha as the managing director effective from April 1.

• Zomato: The Registrar of Companies of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has approved the change in the name of Zomato Ltd. to Eternal Ltd.

• Container Corp.: The company has placed an order worth Rs 192 crore for the supply of 10 rakes of BLSS wagons with GATX India.

• RailTel Corp: The company has received Rs 16.89 crore order from Defence Ministry.

• The New India Assurance Co.: The company has received a Rs 125 crore penalty from the Income Tax Department.

• Goa Carbon: The company has received Rs 73.70 crore Income Tax demand notice.

• Unichem Laboratories: The company has completed the capacity expansion of its API plant in Pithampur.

• Torrent Power: The firm's arm Torrent Green Energy incorporates Torrent Urja 43.

• CG Power and Industrial Solutions: The company enters the air cooler market with the launch of a new range featuring cutting-edge JetChill Technology.

• Happiest Minds Technologies: The company approved the re-designation of Ashok Soota as executive chairman to chairman and chief mentor. Approves re-designation of Joseph Vinod Anantharaju as executive vice chairman to co-chairman and chief executive officer.

• Tata Consultancy Services: The company partnered with the Cumberland Building Society for a core banking solution.

• Goodyear India: The company's interim chief financial officer, Sunil Modi, resigned.

• TVS Motor: The board approved the interim dividend of Rs 10 per share.

• Tamilnad Mercantile Bank: The company appointed Sanjoy Kumar Goel as CFO.

• Power Finance Corp: The company's unit PFC Consulting transferred to Adani Energy for Rs 18.65 crore.

• Signatureglobal (India): The company’s arm executed a sale deed to purchase land measuring approximately 8.39 acres in Gurugram.

• CIE Automotive: Terminates pact with Ijya Renewables to subscribe the shares.

• Asian Paints: It has completed the divestment of its Indonesian operations to Singapore-based subsidiary of Omega Property Investments Pty Ltd, Australia, for a consideration of SGD 6.8 million.

• Piramal Pharma: BrePco Biopharma and Piramal Critical Care received medicines and healthcare products regulatory agency nod for Neoatricon in UK.

• Central Depository Services: The company’s arm in agreement with Life Insurance Corp. to provide Insurance Repository services.

• Ashoka Buildcon: Approved the re-appointment of Satish Parakh as a managing director for three years.

• Lloyds Metals and Energy: The company received environmental clearance for 1.2 MTPA wire rod project and 4 MTPA Pellet Plant project in Maharashtra.

• Tata Steel: The company signed a memorandum of understanding with Bharat Petroleum Corp. for supply of PNG to ferro alloys plant. It replaces furnace oil with PNG at a ferro alloys plant in Odisha.

• Allcargo Logistics: Allcargo Logistics reported a year-over-year decline in less-than-container load volume, which stood at 604,000 cubic meters, down from 679,000 cubic meters in the same period last year.

• JM Financial: The firm entered a pact with INH Mauritius for acquisition of remaining 5.97% stake in JM Financial Credit Solutions held by INH post-acquisition, shareholding of company in JM Financial Credit Solutions to be 95.64%.

• AGS Transact Tech: Bajaj Finance sold 25.27 lakh shares (2.08%) at Rs 11.34 apiece

• Gensol Engineering: Agnija Tie-Up Pvt. sold 2 lakh shares (0.52%) at Rs 237.9 apiece, Cinco Stock Vision LLP sold 2.32 lakh shares (0.61%) at Rs 244.37 apiece, Indian Chain Pvt. sold 4.3 lakh shares (1.13%) at Rs 236.74 apiece, Multiplier Share & Stock Advisors Pvt. sold 2 lakh shares (0.52%) at Rs 242.44 apiece.

• Panacea Biotec: Magic-Square Hospitalityservices Llp sold 8 lakh shares (1.3%) at Rs 453.02 apiece

• Alkyl Amines Chemicals: Promoter Purjeeko Trading & Consultancy LLP bought 1,249 shares, Promoter Purjeeko Trading & Consultancy LLP bought 3,751 shares, Promoter Niyoko Trading and Consultancy LLP bought 5,000 shares between March 17 and March 19.

• Sunteck Realty: Promoter Eskay Infrastructure Development bought 500 shares on March 18.

• Steel Strips Wheels: Promoter Chandigarh Developers bought 40,462 shares on March 19.

• Usha Martin: Promoter Peterhouse Investments India sold 1 lakh shares on March 19.

• Poonawalla Fincorp: Promoter Rising Sun Holdings bought 4.09 lakh shares on March 19.

• Indoco Remedies: Promoter Shanteri Investment bought 12,150 shares on March 19.

• Alembic Pharmaceuticals: Promoter Chirayu Ramanbhai Amin HUF bought 1,500 shares on March 18.

• Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility: Promoter Yatin Sanjay Gupte sold 5.13 lakh shares on March 18.

• Pudumjee Paper Products: Promoter Arunkumar Mahabirprasad Jatia bought 2,476 shares on March 18.

• Price Band changes from 20% to 5%: RBZ Jewellers.

• Price Band changes from 20% to 10%: Vibhor Steel Tubes.

• Ex-dividend: RFC, CG Power and Industrial Solutions.

• Ex-Bonus Issue: Greenlam Industries.

• List of securities shortlisted in Short-Term ASM Framework Stage 1: Uttam Sugar Mills, GVP Infotech.

• List of securities to be excluded from ASM Framework: Bharat Wire Ropes, Jyoti CNC Automation, Panacea Biotec, Century Extrusions.

• The Nifty March futures were up 0.95% to 23,069.90 at a premium of 9.6 points, with the open interest down 6.26%.

• The open interest distribution for the Nifty 50 March 27 expiry series indicated most activity at 24,000 call strikes, and the 22,000 put strikes had the maximum open interest.

• Securities in ban period: Hindustan Copper, IndusInd Bank, Manappuram Finance, Polycab, SAIL.

The Indian rupee strengthened against the dollar for the sixth consecutive session on Thursday to close at the highest level in nearly two months after the US Federal Reserve maintained the interest rates.